Closing date: 26 Jan 2010 -- (CLOSED)
Location: Ethiopia
Responsible To: Country Director
Location: Ethiopia, Oromiya Region, Borena Zone
Contract Duration: 7 Months (with possible extension)
Starting Date: ASAP
Salary: £22,441 - £24,776 per annum (dependant on relevant experience) inclusive of annual Cost of Living allowance.
Benefits: Insurance cover, accommodation, free return flights, annual loyalty bonus, R&R and 24 days annual leave.
Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer this post before the closing date.
Please note that this is an unaccompanied position.
Merlin International Profile
Merlin specialises in health, saving lives in times of crisis and helping to rebuild shattered health services. Each year, Merlin helps more than 15 million people in up to 20 countries.
Context and Background
After years of civil war and the subsequent border war with Eritrea, Ethiopia remains one of Africa's poorest states, with a very low income per capita and a population that is almost two-thirds illiterate. The agricultural sector has suffered from frequent drought and poor cultivation practices. The devastating drought in 2003 led to widespread malnutrition and diarrhoeal disease, and resulted in more than 13 million people becoming dependent on international agencies for food. Nearly half the population of Ethiopia is without access to healthcare.
Since March 2003 Merlin has been working in Ethiopia. At that time operations were started in Oromiya Region, one of the areas worst affected by a prolonged drought. Merlin’s programs focus mainly on the provision of primary healthcare services through mobile and static clinics but include also community-based water and sanitation programs. Currently MERLIN is maintaining two interventions in the country. MERLIN’s health programs in Ethiopia are implemented in coordination with the respective Regional Health Bureaus (MoH).
With funding from CERF through WHO, Merlin responded to emergency needs in Borena Zone in 2008 and 2009. As part of the drought response in 2008 (August to December 2008), Merlin supported the Zonal health system through building its capacity in emergency preparedness and response with focus on AWD, measles and malaria.
In 2009 (April to June 2009), Merlin assisted the zone in the prevention and control of AWD epidemic in 9 woredas of the Zone (Moyale, Teltele, Dillo, Arero, Dire, Dhas, Miyo, Dugda-dawa and Melka-sodo) through revitalization of multi-sectoral task forces at Zonal and Woreda levels, training of health workers in AWD management (106 health workers trained), sensitization of communities, and distribution of emergency supplies.
Following the Merlin-ET’s latest Country Strategy (2009 – 2011) Borena Zone has become a target area for future health and nutrition interventions, given the absence of other health-related non-governmental actors and the low response capacity of the MoH system
Merlin has been approached by the Oromia Regional Health Bureau to respond to the critical nutritional situation in Borena Zone. Merlin will initially respond to the nutritional crisis in Borena Zone, Oromia Region through a 7 month programme across 6 Woredas; Teltele, Dillo, Arero, Dhas, Miyo and Dire Woredas
Main purpose of the role
The Project Coordinator will assume overall responsibility for setting up the project and the project in the field. He/she will report to the Country Director based in Addis Ababa. The main responsibilities are as set out below.
Overall Objectives (scope)
- Operational management project site
- Responsibility for security in the field site
- Ensure all projects adhere to Merlin’s financial, logistical and human resource systems and procedures
- Human resource management and capacity building of national and international staff
- Represent Merlin to donors, authorities, (I)NGOs
Responsibilities
Operational Management
- Serve as the focal point at the field level for Merlin.
- Ensure collaborative stakeholder management including involving the relevant authorities, partners, elders, and local leaders in the planning and implementation of Merlin’s activities.
- Manage and supervise the overall planning and daily activities of the project.
- Monitoring the evolving humanitarian situation in the project area, with timely information analyses, discussion, and action-orientated recommendations.
- Draft and supervise the development of high quality internal and donor reports, and any subsequent proposals in conjunction with the Project Medical Coordinator (PMC).
- Ensure the project compliance to bureaucratic requirements, GoE regulations/ Laws and donor requirements
- Be responsible for the effective and efficient set up and management of projects consistent with the Project Management Cycle and compliant with Merlin procedures, systems, and guidelines.
- Together with the PMC establish and implement project monitoring and evaluation plans
- Provide regular written and verbal reports to the CMT (Country Management Team) on project progress and issues.
- Line-manage one international staff and ensure effective management of approximately 40 national staff.
- Optimize the use of human, logistical, and financial resources.
- Contribute to preparing plans, proposals, and budgets for project extensions and new projects.
Security
The Project Coordinator has responsibility for security in the field site including:
- Supervising the gathering of credible and multiple source security analysis.
- Establishing security guidelines, keeping these up to date, and ensuring adherence by all project staff.
- Managing day-to-day security of the team field team.
- Briefing all staff on arrival in the field on the security context and its implications
- Monitoring the political, military and security situation in all project areas and respond accordingly.
- Providing timely verbal and written security incident reports to the Country Director.
- Attending security meetings and maintain regular contact with other actors (e.g. OCHA, military) in the field.
Logistics/Finance/Administration
- Ensure all projects adhere to Merlin’s systems and procedures.
- Ensure that project implementation meets donor compliance requirements.
- Responsible for budgetary control and overall financial management at the project site, including maintaining oversight of expenses and procurement.
- Ensure that the programme complies with all legal and bureaucratic requirements in Ethiopia.
Human Resource Management
- Maintain good team communication, engender good team dynamics and take remedial action when problems occur.
- Support team members professionally and monitor and support stress management.
- Conduct and document
- s according to Merlin’s Human Resource procedures.
- Ensure all new team members are adequately briefed on arrival in the field, and departing team members are debriefed.
- Maintain up-to-date job descriptions for international staff and prepare and maintain regular team meetings for planning and reporting purposes.
- Carry out regular appraisaljob descriptions for national staff.
- Assume overall responsibility for national staff selection, recruitment, and disciplinary procedures.
- Be responsible for capacity development and training of national personnel.
- Plan national and international staff requirements and liaise with the CMT.
Representation
- Represent Merlin to donors, authorities, (I)NGOs and other parties as necessary.
- Ensure all relevant parties are kept informed of Merlin activates as appropriate (e.g. donors, health authorities etc.).
- Be the project’s contact with press and media when requested by the Country Director.
Other
- Provide coverage for other posts when needed and carry out any other responsibilities as requested by the Country Director.
Person Specification
Essential
Qualifications, experience and competences
- Strong project management skills and knowledge of appropriate project management tools.
- Previous field humanitarian experience in a management role in conflict situations.
- Experience of conducting needs assessments, project development, and project start-up.
- Security management experience in an unstable environment.
- Experience of financial and administrative management.
- Knowledge of project management tools (Logical Framework Analysis, Project Cycle Management, indicators, etc.).
- Computer skills (Word, Excel, email).
- A strong interest in health care projects
- Good team worker, able to live and work closely with a team under pressure.
- Ability to work under stressful conditions in an isolated area.
- Focused individual with capacity to plan and manage in a multiple deadline-working environment.
- Good training/capacity building and management skills.
- Willing to work in an insecure environment.
- Ability to work on own initiative.
- Developed diplomacy skills.
- Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English
- Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office
- Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures
- Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple tasks in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines
- Experience of proactively identifying and addressing issues
- An understanding of and commitment to Merlin’s mission and values
Desirable
Qualifications, experience and competences
- Qualification in a relevant field
- Previous experience in the region (Horn of Africa / East Africa)
- Previous experience in the health sector.
Reference Code: RW_7Y6KKC-77
